Govt to discuss increasing bilateral flying rights over next week, Minister Naidu says

Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu

India will discuss increasing bilateral flying rights with countries such as Bhutan, Maldives, Japan, Vietnam and Singapore over the next week, Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu said on September 9.

“While we are looking to increase bilateral flying rights, we want to prioritise creating international travel hubs in India. We will ensure that domestic airlines get the most out of (these) bilateral flying rights,” Naidu said at the press conference on the 2nd Asia Pacific Ministerial Conference that will run between September 11 and 12. Twenty Civil aviation ministers from around the world will come to India during this event, he added.

Bilateral flying rights will not be approved if they harm the process of creating international travel hubs in India, the minister said.

Around 41 countries will attend the 2nd Asia Pacific Ministerial Conference of the Asia Pacific region, which is being held after a period of six years. The 1st Asia Pacific Ministerial Conference was held in 2018 in Beijing.

Apart from ministers, the president of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), along with ICAO council representatives from Australia, Brazil, China, South Korea, Singapore, and Nigeria, will be in India.

The comments come at a time when Indian carriers showed a marked increase in their share of international air traffic in the first quarter of 2024-25 (April-June), carrying 46 percent of all incoming passengers, a significant rise of more than 1000 basis points compared to pre-pandemic levels and 250 basis points higher than in 2023-24.

This increase is attributed to the Indian government’s decision to restrict additional bilateral flying rights for foreign airlines, a policy that has allowed domestic airlines, particularly IndiGo and Air India, to expand their international operations.

Earlier in the day, Rammohan Naidu pitched for sustainable practices in the aviation industry, including the use of sustainable aviation fuel.

As part of boosting regional air connectivity, the civil aviation ministry has also identified around 106 airports and airstrips that can be developed for regional flight operations.

Naidu said sustainable aviation practices should be promoted to reduce carbon emissions and mentioned that some airports are already carbon neutral.

Speaking at the conference organised by industry body FICCI, Naidu also said efforts are on to ensure that 1 percent of SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) is blended with jet fuel for international commercial flights by 2027 and then increase the SAF quantum to 2 percent by 2028.

The global framework for using SAF has been set out by ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) under which international flights should use jet fuel blended with at least 1 percent SAF by 2027.